International tourism increasing

A study released this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that international visitors to America increased 14% in May 2008 over a year ago and spending by those visitors grew by 21%.  The Alabama Tourism Department targets several important international markets, all of which are showing increased visitation to the U.S. from one year ago; Canada is up 17% and Western Europe is up 21%.  Of the Western Europe segment, the United Kingdom accounts for 39% of all travel from Western Europe.  Venessa Alexander, head of Global Travel Marketing and the Alabama Tourism Department’s UK representative, will be in Birmingham- Monday, Aug. 11 to make a presentation on international tourism at the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism. http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/26652